Plot:
When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team – led by expert linguist Louise Banks – is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers – and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.

Overall Review:
October 2013 – Gravity, November 2014 – Interstellar, October 2015 – Martian & November 2016: Dennis Villeneuve’s ARRIVAL (First film in Sci-Fi Genre from the director of Sicario) based on the award-winning novel “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang. Although movie has slow pacing than you’d expect, it has all the right components of an exceptional film: cast and though-provoking script with highly original twist. Villeneuve has successfully balanced the plot and sub-plot throughout the entire film. The composition of Jóhann Jóhannsson heightens the sense of mystery surrounding the alien visitors and their intentions. Arrival’s biggest weakness – the emotional punch of the ending is lessened a bit and felt little rushed. Arrival is a versatile science fiction film that communicates on many levels. It’s about acceptance, understanding our life’s choices, and living as if any one moment were as valuable or meaningful as the next. Arrival presents many clues without revealing its hidden truth until the film’s conclusion. It is SMART, INTELLIGENT and SERIOUS Cinema. A though provoking film.

Performance & Technical Review:
The characters are one of the reasons why this film works. They are not treated as cliche plot devices but are just real people who just want answers to this situation. Amy Adams, one of the lead star in the film, gives a stunning performance as Louise Banks. Background score by Jóhann Jóhannsson is spellbinding and stunning. It complements the film superbly. The cinematography by Bradford Young is breathtaking. This sci-fi film is one of a kind where the VFX are at minimal. The interior of the spaceship is built by creating massive tunnel and chamber. Subtle direction with the camera makes light work to draw you in immediately to the story and the characters. The use of slow panning create a personal feel that almost feels like you are meeting the extraterrestrials for the first time like the two main characters do. Villeneuve has succeeded in creating a masterful aesthetic in every way.

PDF Verdict:
Arrival is serious and smartly crafted film that has concern with deep truths about language, imagination, and human relationships than any one political moment. The movie concludes on a different note: “If you could view your life as an image, a story told in one nonlinear and infinite symbol, would you change it?”. Strongly Recommended.